Veteran Nollywood actress Patience Ozokwor is grieving the loss of music icon Onyeka Onwenu, who reportedly collapsed and died after performing at an 80th birthday party in Lagos on Tuesday.

Ozokwor expressed deep sorrow over Onwenu’s unexpected death, emphasizing that her passing was especially painful because she wasn’t known to be ill.

She lamented, "Onyeka is not just a colleague but a friend. I am downcast now and hurting because of her death and the fact that she was not sick.

How can everyone be dying like this? What is causing so much death? Everyone is stressed up in this country."

Onwenu, born in 1952, was a celebrated musician and actress who began her music career in the 1980s. She released her debut album, "For the Love of You", in 1981 and became known for hits like “One Love.”

Her career spanned both music and film, earning her numerous awards and accolades, including the National Honours of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) in 2011.

In addition to her entertainment career, she was also active in politics, serving as Chairperson of the Imo State Council for Arts and Culture and later as Director-General of the National Centre for Women Development.

Ozokwor’s heartfelt reaction highlights the profound impact Onwenu had on her peers and the wider entertainment industry.